


Kenopsia

by FinVan16



Category: scifi mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:47:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22788178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FinVan16/pseuds/FinVan16
Summary: After a bizarre incident left almost all of the people on earth frozen where they stood, survivors Sid and June must find those who remain untouched by this foreordination, and find the cause of this strange occurrence. But can they trust every stranger they meet? Follow Sid and June in this sci fi mystery, as paranoia rears its ugly head, in an effort to find the truth.





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The room froze. The commotion of the students excited to get out of class came to a halt. Every person in the room looked like a statue, their eyes unmoving, their expressions frozen. I peered around my classroom, stunned. What is happening, why is everyone so… still. I cautiously walked around my classroom, examining each person as I walked by. I waited for something to happen, but nothing did. They weren't even breathing, they were all perfectly still statues. It had been a few minutes, and I began to panic. Adrenaline ran through me as I began to sprint through the hallways. “Hello?” I shouted in panic. “Is anyone else… able to move?”

I stopped for a moment to look out the window. I screamed. Hundreds, no, thousands of people stood like statues in the street, on the sidewalk, in their cars. Is the whole world like this? Why am I the only one able to move? I stood paralyzed in my thoughts. Stupidly, I thought of calling the police. I then realized they were probably in this same paralyzed state as everyone else around me.

I roamed the streets of Chicago in a daze. The cars on the streets all touching, they all ran into the back of the next. I felt like I was in the beginning apocalypse. Maybe it was. Or maybe it was just a huge joke. I waited for the punchline, but it never came. I took to instagram to try to find anyone else who was able to move. I refreshed the page until I saw a post that made me gasp out loud. It was a video of the inside of a Starbucks in Chicago. The camera panned slowly around the room, and everyone in the cafe stood like statues. The voice recording was panicked. “Dude, what the fuck is going on. Is this some kind of joke? Is anyone else able to move?” The caption of the post was a phone number, and a caption saying (Please call me if you can read this.)

I simply stared at the screen for a moment, stunned beyond belief. Thinking about if for a moment, I decided to look at the page first before I called a number. There were multiple selfies of a beautiful girl. At what I assumed was her job, on vacation, at the beach. Nervously, I dialed the number, and it began to ring. Within seconds, a startled “Hello?” answered. My mind went completely blank. No words would come out of my mouth. I had never been good at phone calls, but now was not the time for my nervousness. “Uhm hi, you can move too?” My voice shook as I spoke.

“Yes I can. Where are you? I will drive to you.” I had never thought of that. My eyes drifted to the nearest street sign.  
“I’m on South Michigan Avenue, outside of Roosevelt University” I replied. She said she would be there in about fifteen minutes, and hung up.

I waited on the sidewalk outside my university like a child waiting to be picked up from school. My mind was still trying to process what was happening. I gazed around at the people that were once going about their day, now frozen in mid-action. A child holding her father's hand while crossing the street, still in mid step. A businesswoman frozen in the middle of a phone call, the phone still ringing in her now stiff hand. I stared into her eyes, they were glazed over, and not even her pupils moved. I shakily brought a hand to her face, and slowly brought a finger up to her eye. Hesitantly, I touched her eye. She didn’t flinch, not even a twitch. What the hell is this? How can this happen? There has to be some kind of explanation for this.

For the first time since I stepped outside, I heard car tires. A clean black Prius slowly rolled up to the sidewalk in front of me. I felt my heartbeat speed up as the car parked and the door opened. A beautiful girl in a green Starbucks apron and black jeans stepped out of the car. Even from afar, I could see the many freckles that littered her face like constellations. As she walked closer, I noticed her face wore a concerned expression. Worry filled her almond shaped gold and clover eyes. “Are you… okay?” She fretted. But I could not answer, not even a nod. Because I was not okay. I was flustered by only her presence. She was like the human embodiment of summer. Her voice sounded like an angel on earth. Her light russet hair was coiled into a high bun, and pieces of it that had escaped blew in the wind.

She looked me up and down, patiently waiting for an answer. My emotions must have been written on my face, because she smirked and playfully rolled her eyes. “I will take that as a yes then.” She flirted. “What’s your name?” I twiddled my thumbs and looked into her eyes.Swallowing my butterflies, I responded,  
“Oh, I’m Sid, Ackerman.” The confidence in my voice seemed to surprise her.  
“I’m Juniper Hunt, but most people call me June.” She smiled and stuck her hand out for me to shake, and I did so firmly. I was so awestruck by her, that for a moment I forgot that we were standing in the middle of what seemed like the apocalypse. But I was quickly reminded when the elephant in the room was said. “So, what do we do now? Try to find more people like us?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As smart of an idea as that sounded, I wanted nothing else than to be alone with her. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” I agreed, pushing my previous thoughts away. I climbed into the shotgun of her car and we began to cruise around the city. It was incredibly eerie, seeing the always bustling big city, now lifeless and deathly still. The car tires on the smooth road was the only sound that could be heard for miles, and it seemed to echo through the hushed air. I stared out the window, at a loss for words for the world outside my window. Without warning, June stepped on the brakes abruptly, and the both of us jerked forward. “What the h-,” “Shh,” she shushed me, putting her hand up. “Do you hear that?” She asked, with a slight panic in her voice. I closed my eyes, and listened intently. The sound steadily got louder, I realized what we were hearing. Our heads both snapped to look at eachother, and our eyes widened at the realization. “A helicopter.” We both said in unison. I stuck my head out the window and peered up into the clouds. Almost directly above us now, a large camo military helicopter hovered in the air. Oh, we’re not the only ones. Somebody is coming to find us. I thought hopefully. But for some reason, I had a really bad feeling about this. Why was it just hovering above us? My intuition that this was going to end badly grew stronger, and I went with my gut. “Just drive.” Hearing the uneasiness in my voice, and the fear in my eyes, she stepped on the gas and began weaving through the still cars. I'm glad I made the decision I did, because soon enough a rain of bullets began to trail just behind the car like a heavy rainstorm. “Go Go Go Go!” I shouted in complete panic as the car began to speed even faster down the now empty road. We were now going 105mph, as we weaved back and forth between lanes. Just barely missing the bullets, we entered a tunnel. Letting out a breath I didn't even know I as holding, I felt my heartbeat began to slow down a little. My mind seemed to run a thousand miles a second. “Why would the military…” I didn't need to finish my sentence for her to understand what I meant. “I don't think that was the military, Kid.” In the midst of the chaos, my heart fluttered at my new nickname. I internally scolded myself for getting distracted. “I think,” she paused for a moment, pondering. “I think whoever that was, was the person who did this.” She stated, gesturing to the world outside the car. “You lost them? What the fuck do you mean you lost them? I gave you one simply task. Kill anyone who was immune to it. And you couldn’t even do that?” I looked down at my feet, too ashamed to look up. “Just give me one more chance, I promise you I won't come back until the job is finished.” I lied through my teeth. He considered my remark for a bit, and finally gave me an answer. “Kill every last person left, and do not come back until you are done. Unless you want to end up like the rest of them." His words sent chills down my spine. "Yes sir!" I beamed, saluting him and taking my leave. One cadet had been sent to each major city to seek out and kill any remaining survivors. From what I heard, an estimated fifty to a hundred people were immune to it worldwide. Once we killed off all the extras, we could start anew. I didn't really have a clue how it all worked, only that the people who stood frozen like statues were never going to move again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Once the sound of the helicopter could no longer be heard, we decided to go to the nearest corner store and stock up on food and supplies. I spotted an EZ-Mart by a gas station, and we pulled over. We made multiple trips, filling the trunk of the Prius with food and supplies until we were satisfied. I primarily grabbed coffee and sweets, and I noticed June carrying as many Arizona teas and as much Chex Mix as she could hold. I chuckled softly at her peculiar choice in snacks. “Well, you’re not much better. You’re never going to sleep with all that coffee and sugar.” She said playfully.

We both collectively disregarded the lifeless statues in and around the building as we made our way back to the car. “Now, I think we should find a base. Ya know, a place to hide in case more people like that show up.” I nodded my head in agreement. “What about the Willis Tower? We could see anyone coming for miles.” I suggested. She agreed, and began driving, more cautious than before. Surprisingly, the building was empty when we got there. It seemed to be closed for construction. Holding as much of our food as we could carry, we pushed open the doors to the astoundingly tall skyscraper. The long elevator ride to the top made me nauseous and dizzy, but it was worth the view when we got to the top. Living in Chicago, I was used to the views of the busy city from my apartment. But I had never seen the city so incredibly peaceful and serene. We watched the sun set over the mellow city, and ate snacks. Conversation started shallow, but soon entered deep waters. We talked about our childhoods, our families. We soon were on the topic of our parents. June went first. “I grew up in a small town in Arizona, but I always wanted to live in a big city. So I found a college here and applied. I live in the dorms on campus. It can get really lonely sometimes without my family there.”

I nodded my head, knowing how lonely living by yourself in a big city can be. “How are you doing living on your own for the first time?” She asked. I actually enjoyed living by myself. I never had a good relationship with my parents. After I came out to them as transgender, they kicked me out and I moved in with a friend. I actually haven’t talked to my parents in seven years. I stared out the window, lost in thought. I seemed to show on my face. “Not good, huh?” She said sympathetically. “No No, it’s alright. I never had a good relationship with my parents, so it's nice to be by myself.” I flashed a fake smile. She knew I was holding back, but she didn't push any further. Our deep conversation extended late into the night. We decided to take turns keeping watch, and I told her I would go first. "It's alright, I'm not tired anyway. I will wake you up when it's your turn." I promised her. Eventually, she complied and quickly drifted off to sleep, leaning against the wall next to me. I guess trying to survive in the apocalypse could be exhausting. Her head slowly slumped over, eventually resting on my shoulder. Pushing my luck, I carefully wrapped an arm around her, and she nestled her head into place. I definitely had no intention of waking her up now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I slowly awoke, my eyes still closed. I was lying on my back, with something curled up against my side. My arm was around it, and I pulled it closer, appreciating the warmth. Suddenly, it began to giggle. That definitely woke me up fast. I quickly realized what  _ it  _ was, and I shot up out of my drowsy state. I nervously sat up, and backed up until my back hit the wall. June slowly sat up, and stretched her arms into the air. "G'morning kid, sleep well?" she mumbled with a sleepy smile. The sun shone through the window, making her clover and honey eyes glow. I simply gawked at her, my mouth agape. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks, and I fiddled with my hands. "Uh, y-yeah. I did." I stuttered. A smile spread across my face, and I looked at the wooden floor in front of me. She leaned forward to ruffle my hair. My smile widened, and my eyes closed in contentment. The sun shone on my face, warming it even more than it already was. "Why didn't you wake me up to keep watch last night?" She questioned. I definitely couldn't say "I didn't wake you up because you fell asleep on me, and I was so happy and I didn't want you to move." That was way too embarrassing. "Oh, I fell asleep." I finally admitted. I wasn't technically lying. I mean, I eventually fell asleep. I just didn't share all the details. That was okay, right? 

Our light hearted conversation was disrupted by what would probably be the most terrifying sound in this situation. The ding of the elevator moving made us both jump. We made terrified glances at each other. We watched the elevator number rise in horror as it slowly made its way to the top floor. My mind drifted to the worst case scenario. The sound of gunshots rang in my head from our last encounter with other people. But June stayed calm. She grabbed a large metal chair, and I copied. "You stand on one side of the elevator, and I will stand in the other. When the door opens, hit whoever it is." She stated. I nodded my head in agreement. I took my place on one side of the elevator, and waited. Even more adrenaline shot into my bloodstream as the elevator dinged, opening its doors. As soon as a head came into sight, we simultaneously slammed our chairs together, crushing whoever it was. 

A startled "shit" rang through the air, and the body slammed into the ground. June and I hovered over the man, holding our chairs over our heads ready to strike again. He scuttled back on his hands, shouting "wait wait wait!" He was a handsome young man, with light brown skin and dark curly hair. We set our chairs down, and looked back at him. "Who are you?" I challenged. He rubbed his head where the chairs had struck him, wincing. "My name is Lennox, Lennox Vonshoice." He replied. He shot us a look of anticipation. "I'm Juniper Hunt, and this is Sid Ackerman." June stated. He looked me up and down for a moment, seeming to ponder something. He looked embarrassed. "Uh, not to be rude or anything, but are you a…" He didn't have to finish his question for me to know what he was going to ask. I got this question all the time. And I always gave the same answer. "I'm a trans guy." I stated. He nodded his head thoughtfully. 

June seemed to trust Lennox right away, but I did not. There were just too many questions left unanswered. How did he get all the way here on foot, without being spotted by whoever was in that helicopter? How did he even know we were in this building? He just seemed suspicious to me. My gut was telling me that he knew more than he was letting on. So later that day while the two of us went out to the car to get more food, I decided to question him. My heart raced as I struggled to get the words out of my mouth. "You aren't telling us everything you know, are you?” My voice was high pitched and shaky. He froze, and his eyes widened. But he quickly regained his composure. “Huh? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He snarled. He sounded defensive, but I knew he was scared. “Were you?” I paused for a moment and took a deep breath. “You were the one flying that helicopter, weren't you?” I don't even know what possessed me to say that, it just kind of seemed right. This seemed to break him. He fell to his knees, and I stepped back out of shock. "It wasn't my choice, It was do it or die. The general makes all the decisions, I'm only a cadet. I don't agree with anything they're doing. I got out of there as soon as I could." He rambled. 

I was confused. "The military did this?" I questioned, gesturing to the world around us. He shook his head. "This isn't the military, this is something different. They call themselves the New World Order, or NWO. They believe that the world has become too corrupt, and too focused on money and materialism. They want to start over, and create a new political system." I simply gawked at him. A thought crossed my mind. "You're the illuminati?" I shouted, flabbergasted. He violently shushed me and continued. "No, not quite. We were created soon after the civil war. The war made some people realize that the majority was not always the best choice for the people. So those people got together and decided that if the country ever got this bad, we would just start over." he concluded.

I was speechless. My mind struggled to make coherent thoughts. I always thought in the back of my mind that a secret organization could exist, but the truth of it was a lot to process. I stumbled backwards towards the base. "I, I need to go tell June." I stuttered. A hand grasped firmly onto my arm. Before I could protest, he uttered two unsettling words. “Don’t move” he spoke through his teeth in a stern whisper. 

  
  



	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The sound of helicopter blades cut through the silence like a sharp blade. I looked out the window of the willis tower to see the same large military helicopter from earlier hovering around the area. To my horror, Sid and Lennox were still outside talking. My body broke out in a nervous sweat as I panicked. If the helicopter noticed them moving, we were all doomed to death. I sprinted to the elevator and frantically pressed the button to go all the way down. The sound of elevator music created a false sense of the ordinary. It felt like minutes until the clean metal doors finally opened to reveal the first floor. I hesitantly jogged towards the exiting doors, and peered through the glass. I grasped the door handle with a white knuckled grip. The helicopter had landed, right next to Sid and Lennox. 

  
  


"Sid, go inside. Now." he spoke in a stressed and strict tone. I hesitated for a moment, but dashed quickly inside the building anyways. As soon as I passed the doors, June enveloped me in a tight hug. She almost knocked me down as her shaking arms wrapped around me. As much as I didn't want this to end, we were still dangerously close to the outside. "Hey I'm alright. Let's go upstairs and wait." I suggested. She nodded and we took the stairs up a flight. We watched out the window as two people stepped out of the helicopter, both wearing the same military uniform as Lennox. June made a noise of horror next ro me, but my intuition told me that he would handle it. I still didn't trust him, but I knew he was in too deep to return to the NWO, so he wouldn't rat us out. But could he overpower two people by himself?

As if to answer my question, Lennox pulled out a gun and held it to one of their heads, gaining the upper hand in the blink of an eye. But what I didn't expect was for him to pull the trigger. June and I made simultaneous sounds of terror as he now lifeless body fell to the ground in a heap. He quickly grabbed the other man and rested at the end of the gun on the side of his temple. "What the hell is he doing?" I whispered in dismay. Lennox's eyes scanned the windows until he found us, and he motioned for us to come outside. The two of us shared an anxious glands before heading down the stairs. We stood still at the doorway, and he motioned for us to come outside. June hesitantly pushed the heavy doors open, and I followed. 

"Since when have you had a gun laying around?" I shouted at Lennox, who plainly pointed to the corpse on the ground.  _ How the hell did he steal the gun from that guy so fast? I didn't even see him do it. That guys clever.  _ I thought as Lennox patted down our newfound hostage for weapons, which he quickly found and tossed to me. I clumsily snagged the handgun out of the air, and slid it into my front pocket. I had never held a gun before, and had not even a clue how to use it. But for the sake of my pride, I didn't mention it. Lennox requested that June fetch a rope from the trunk of the car, and she quickly complied. The man objected as Lennox tightly restrained his arms behind his back, but he knew there was no use in struggling. "Uhm, what is the point of this?" I questioned, gesturing to the tied up man, who glared daggers at me. 

"Well, now we have a helicopter. And a very good source of information, don't we general Hale?" Lennox mocked, elbowing the man in the side. He was stocky and bald, and looked about fifty. He seemed to have a crease between his eyebrows from frowning so much. "General Hale here is the main researcher for the NWO, and has about everything you need to know to take them down." 

"I'm not telling you jackshit, you dirty traitor." Hale roared. 

"Sure you are!" Lennox taunted in a cheery tone, gingerly pressing the gun into the side of his head. It was becoming increasingly obvious that there was a rough history between these two. June seemed to notice also, shooting questioning glances between us. This was not the Lennox I was speaking to just a moment ago. This guy was satirical and filled with hatred. I quickly began to question June and I’s safety. I decided to interrupt the increasingly tense mood. “Uhm, June and I are going to head inside. We'll leave this to you." My voice trembled when I spoke. I apprehensively looked up from the ground to see a deranged look in Lennox's eyes. He wore the expression of an insane person trying to not look insane. June put her hand on my shoulder, and we quickly headed inside without waiting for his reply. I could hear the shouts of general Hale protesting being left to Lennox, and I almost felt sorry for him. Once we were no longer within ear shot, June began blabing in a panicked manner. Her eyes were the size of dinner plates, and she looked like she had just escaped death. “Woah woah woah, slow down. What did you see?”

  
  



End file.
